


Foresight of a Sting

by wanderingsmith



Series: Foresight [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 19:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1719836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingsmith/pseuds/wanderingsmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘Listen to me, Thorin Oakenshield!’ I said. ‘If this hobbit goes with you, you will succeed. If not, you will fail. A foresight is on me, and I am warning you.’</p><p>Gandalf tells Bilbo's mom my shippy take on the details of that foresight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Foresight of a Sting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I ain't got no money, and nobody'd be daft enough to pay me for this. As it is thought, so let it be said; you make the toys, I play with 'em.

Bag End, TA 2934

"You must rest, my dear Bella. No good will come of worrying yourself so."

"But Gandalf, my poor boy. He's almost 50, and so alone, Gandalf. Already he's showing signs of turning into a... an isolated old man. I shudder to think what he'll do when he's alone. He has so much love to give, my sweet boy-"

"Bella," Gandalf laid a hand on the fever-damp fringe of white hair, trying to send the spirited hobbit some peaceful energy, "I promise you your son will find someone to give all the love and devotion he has carried so long."

The narrow look the now-frail hobbit sent him made it quite plain that her mind had not been weakened as her body had; this was still the lass who'd donned hardy trousers and a pack and gone walking the wild to see the reality behind the books she'd read. "Even a wizard cannot make such a promise, old friend."

Gandalf smiled, pleased to be able to give her this much, "Not as a rule, no, but I had a foresight about your young Bilbo. One day, and soon now, if he's near 50, he will find not only someone to cherish, but an adventure, Bella! Such that if you were any other hobbit, I would never have told of the foresight, for they'd only be horrified. But I know that you, my most adventuresome hobbit-lass, will feel only exhilaration at knowing your son will be risking his life for love."

And indeed, a wide smile slowly displaced the grief-stricken frown from the pale features, "Truly? My Bilbo?"

"Indeed. Quite the very figure of that young rascal who used to tag along with every elf troop that travelled through the Shire. Do you remember the very first time I met him? One of your wonderful Midsummer's Eve parties, someone had given him a little wooden sword-"

"Oh my! Yes," the elderly hobbit giggled, "My father; much to Bungo's horror. But the boy was ever so excited, I couldn't take it away from him," she smirked up at the wizard wickedly, "Well, not until he started attacking Big Folk. Couldn't let my lad become a bandit."

Remembering staring at the utterly adorable smile on that toddling face even as he'd been taken by the vision of a protective snarl on a full-grown hobbit, Gandalf chuckled, "Having seen the use he would later put his swordsmanship skills to, I had no fear of his being a bandit. Though he does continue to attack those larger than himself."

"Well, it's rather difficult to find anyone to attack that is *smaller* than a hobbit. Even dwarrows are mostly larger than most hobbits."

Gandalf huffed, "Though the mate Bilbo is protecting is, actually, a dwarf, his attackers are most definitely *not*."

"A dwarf? Do you.." an uncertain hunger flickered up at him, "Do you know anything of her? I don't suppose I'll live to meet her..."

"Um. Well. ..Well I'm afraid I've yet to encounter them, so all I have is what knowledge came with the vision, you understand." Gandalf waited to see the nod of acknowledgement, giving himself a moment to remember the details he'd seen and felt, "Humm. Well, the first thing to say is that it is not a 'her'. Though, as I know you are aware, dwarrowdams look much the same as male dwarrows, the brief sight I had of his face struck me to be male... though even I have been known to make a mistake at a single glance."

Bella chuckled softly, obviously careful not to trigger the terrible coughs her ill chest was prone to, eyes sympathetic, "Most of us still make the mistake at third and fourth glance, if glances are all we get. Though I admit, since they both treated me equally, I hardly cared and frequently did not bother trying to guess, when I met Mahal's children." She sighed, "If I'd known, I would have told him more of the things I learned..."

Gandalf raised a brow in surprise, "Why didn't you?"

Bella laughed fondly, "Because for all my boy loves stories, and even some of the grand romances, he never was much for listening to stories of real romances. He laughs dutifully at his friends' wooing joys, and listened to mine and Bungo's story as attentively as a child should, but... and, well, somehow a great many of the traditions I ended up hearing..."

"Um. The boy you always described struck as quite intelligent enough to learn for himself, I'm sure he'll do fine. In any case, by his dress and armour, this one is of high rank-"

"Oh dear... I met a few of those.. they tended to be quite.. self-righteous," Gandalf snorted in agreement and saw Bella grin wryly, "My Bilbo can be quite.. righteous, himself." 

Gandalf took several long moments imagining the clash of such personalities, and wondered if he would get to see the reality for himself. It sounded quite entertaining. "He was unconscious in the vision, and the foresight did not give me anything of his character. Though carrying an elven blade and being defended by a hobbit speaks well for him."

"He carried an elvish sword?"

"Indeed, an elegant one. Quite surprising style to find on a dwarf. Though, as I said, the fineness of his armour..." Gandalf frowned, suddenly remembering a brief view... yes. Yes that was most definitely- Oh my. "Actually, Bella, if my sight and memory are not failing me, the buckle on his belt carries the sigil of Durin-"

"A Durin??!!"

Busy frowning through his memories of who currently lived from Durin's line and was of appropriate age, Gandalf replied distractedly, "And why would you object to a Durin as a son in law?"

"I would not. But they are kings, Gandalf, and high lords, indeed. Certainly high if he wears the sigil. Gandalf.." He focused on his friend at the weak call of his name, meeting wide, shocked eyes, "You can't mean my poor boy is going to fall for- Dwarrows may love their One without restraint, but the chances of such a one paying enough attention to someone without rank, let along one that isn't a dwarf, to allow themselves to discover love.."

"Umm. I could have been wrong, Bella," it was not a lie, the sight had been very brief, he *could* be wrong. He would not know for certain until he hunted down those it could be and saw their faces. "I could be wrong." 

He sighed, sorry now that he'd brought this up; he'd hoped to bring the poor lass peace, not the greater worry of her son falling for one who was unlikely to be able, one way or another, of returning the affection.

"Gandalf.. Are you certain Bilbo loves him?"

Wishing the foresight had not been so specific, Gandalf nonetheless could not lie to even the straw-grasping eyes of a mother, "Yes. I am certain he loves him, and certain he and his sword are standing between the dwarf and orcs that would kill him, though I cannot 'see' the creatures." Though he was certain they both survived the orcs, he could not say if the love was returned, and did not know *why* a hobbit was the last line of defence between a dwarf and orcs. There were times that Gandalf was quite annoyed with the shortcomings of foresight.

"Well... What does he look like, at least, this dwarf-lord my boy is going to finally give away his heart for?"

Gandalf blinked at the question. Hobbits. Turn your attention for just a moment, and they changed direction as though they were trying to outrun the Nazgûl! "Look like? Bella, what *are* you asking me??" As though he couldn't guess from the ghost of a lusty glitter in the so-knowing dark eyes.

"Now don't play 'old man' with me, wizard. We both know you can recognize beauty when you wish to. You don't visit Rivendell so often for the music."

Even knowing it was a wasted effort, Gandalf could not help giving the hobbit a prudish glare in a doomed-to-fail attempt to end the conversation.

He lasted less than two minutes before grinning at her, "Oh, very well. He is tall for a dwarf. Dressed in what looks to be dark blue, from the bits I saw through the darkness, brigantine for armour and a fur coat; all fine quality, and as neat as a hobbit could wish," he was glad to see even more of the shadows recede with his teasing, "Black hair, I think, though, again, it is night, and therefore colours are deceiving. If he wears braids.. none are obvious as he lays on his back. His beard is shockingly short for a dwarf, though," Gandalf frowned, distracted.

"Penance..."

He looked up at the whisper, meeting sadly knowing eyes and unable to deny the knowledge. Her son's heart was going to one who carried a heavy burden, regardless of just how high his rank turned out to be.

He cleared his throat, continuing out of respect for the toughness of his audience rather than any enjoyment for either of them, now. "Well built. A strong, if lean, dwarf; I imagine that sword looks quite at home as he wields it. Fair features, strong nose; not young but not aged."

"And Bilbo?"

"Dressed as a gentlehobbit should be, if rather road-worn and dusty. A bit thinner than I'd expect from one in the middle-age his features make him. And glaring most fiercely as he stands holding a glowing elven blade-"

"Elvish? They both have elvish swords?"

"Umm," examining the vision, Gandalf was quite certain of his facts, "Yes Bella, both carry Elven blades."

The sweet grin Bella gave him had an edge of tiredness creeping in. and Gandalf sadly acknowledged this was likely the last time they would speak, "I think I'll choose to see that as romantic."

He smiled gently, "As you wish. He stands.. somewhat less than like a swordsman, but I would nonetheless be wary of him; I can almost see the bond between him and the still shape behind him. He might die in the doing, but he will defend his mate with everything in him; even orcs will fall before that small blade."

"..Thank you, Gandalf. It isn't what most mothers would want.. but I'm an old fool. I want my Bilbo to remember the joy that used to shine from his eyes as he went chasing after elves as a boy. I don't think living out a long life with nothing but the quiet of the Shire is what that boy was meant to do. I do wish him a long life.. but I.. I think I'd rather he had a short one of joy, than a long empty one."

**Author's Note:**

> and yes, I'm *pretending* that the designs on that buckle of his are instead shaped into the Durin Sigil


End file.
